CPC (cost per click)
The amount an advertiser pays each time someone clicks an ad.
Definition
Cost per click is the price paid for one click, common in search and social advertising. It is calculated by dividing total spend by the number of clicks. In auction-based platforms CPC varies with competition, quality and targeting. A low CPC can still be poor value if clicks do not convert, so look at it alongside conversion rate and cost per acquisition. Clicks may also include accidental or invalid ones, which platforms try to filter. Watch how CPC changes over time, because a rising price can mean growing competition, weaker ads or a landing page that no longer matches the keywords.
In a sentence
The ad group had a low CPC but few conversions.
CPC rose when more advertisers bid on the same keywords.
